BURBANK, Calif., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- When Walt Disney's classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs returns to theaters on July 2, moviegoers will not only get a chance to see an all time favorite, but also get a first glimpse of the future of film restoration.
Hollywood's first feature-length animated film is now the first film to be digitally restored through the breakthrough Cineon digital film system developed by Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK). Nearly 120,000 frames of 35 mm motion picture film were restored. Each frame contained approximately 40 megabytes of digital data, roughly the entire storage capacity of some desktop computers.
Without compromising a single frame, Cineon technology allowed a complete restoration, including the removal of dust, dirt, and scratches that have accumulated over the years. The result is the most faithful and richly detailed restoration that has been accomplished to date.
Roy E. Disney, vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), said, "This is a major technological achievement that will protect and preserve this classic film for many future generations of moviegoers. Snow White has always occupied an important place in our studio's history and the history of the film industry. It seems fitting that this film should now be leading the way in an important area of film preservation."
The film was restored at Kodak's Cinesite digital film center in Burbank, Calif. There, a team headed by Cinesite president Ed Jones utilized the Cineon film scanner, recorder and workstation to handle and network the massive amounts of digital data the film represents. They also recruited and trained workstation artists and technicians who worked with the Disney creative team, frequently around-the-clock, to bring the Snow White restoration to its successful completion.
"It has been the dream of filmmakers from the beginning of the industry that movies are forever," said Jones. "We have now taken a giant step toward making that dream come true. This has been a very rewarding experience for all who have been involved with this project."
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/CONTACT: Alan Brakoniecki of Media Relations, Eastman Kodak Company, 716-724-3057/
(EK DIS)